Improved liquid and spirit-metee



fwmw L N- PETERS. PHDTOLITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

i, @uiten tatrs getint 'ffice ELIAS S. HUTCHINSON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

l Letters Patent No. 68,081, dated August 27, 1867.

IMPROVED LIQUID AND SPIRIT-METER.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONOERN:`

Be it known that I, ELIAS S. HUTcHINs'oN, of Baltimore, in the oountyot Baltimore, and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Liquid-Heter; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, c1ea1, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which-are made part of this specification.

The subject of this invention is an apparatus whose function isto record the amount of prooi' spirit manufactured by the distiller, for which purpose the meter is so situated in the distillery that the liquor cannot be run oit without passing through it, the intention being to prevent fraud upon the revenue and enable the desig.- natcd oiiicial to determine assessments with certainty. l Y

The principal features of my invention consist, first, in a means for compensating for variations inthe strength or density of the liquor, as indicated by the hydrometer, such means adapting the meter to indicate or record the precise equivalent inproof spirit of the entire quantity of liquorpassing through the meter, whether the strength of the liquor be greater or less than that of the proof spirit; secondly, in a means for compensating for dili'erence in bulk due to variations of temperature, said 'means adapting .the meter to reeordrthe prooi` spirit as of a bulkthe same as thati which it possesses under the normal or standard temperature, whether thc temperature of the liquor be greater or less than the normal temperature at the time of 4its passage through the meter.

Figure 1 is a plan of my improved meter.

Figure 2 isa vertical section thereof', in the plane indicated by the line x rv., iig. 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are vertical sections, in the planes indicated by the lines e e respectively.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

In the drawings, A represents an oscillating cylindrical valve whose axial motion causes it to alternately discharge into chambers B Bl, which are of equal dimensions. Theliquor, in passing from `the condenser of the still, is conducted into the pipe C, communicating `with theinterior of valve A. A perforated metallic disk, a piece ofwire gauze, or any other suitable filteringmedium, C1, is placed within the pipe C for the purpose of excluding from the meter any impurities or solid matter whichmay be contained in the liquor; but the special function of Cl in this apparatus is to prevent the mash or beer from running into the meter and obstructing its operations in case ofthe boiling over of the still. A pipe, C2, communicating with and extending upwards from the inlet pipe C, permits the mash or beer to escape into the back compartment of the box or case D surrounding the meter. The box surrounding the meter is in two compartments. The back, with which the outlet pipe C2 communicates, does not communicate with the working part of the meter, but is provided with openings in.

Abottom to allow the mash to escape. The front compartment communicates with valve E2 by iloat and' lever El, the float being raised and valve closed in case the outlet pipe is obstructed in order to flood themeteri B2 E3 are vulves which are respectively employed to guard discharge-openings B1 B5 in the bottom of the chambers B B1 of the meters, Each, of these valves is connected to a lever, b, which is pivotod or fulcrumed upon a support, 111, said levers having each a lateral projection, b2, occupying the plano of motion of an oscillating arm, A1, which i's mounted upon and derives its motion from the oscillating valve A. F F1 represents a trough mounted upon trunnions and occupying the apartment F2, adjoining the chambers B Bi, and communicating therewith by spouts F3 F". This trough is divided into two compartments, F Fl, by the central partition F5, the tilting of the trough adapting its compartments to" alternately receive liquor from the spouts F3 F4, as illustrated in tig. 4. ff are cords or chains which connect the tilting trough F F1 with the T-shaped arm Gr, which is rigidly attached to the axial shaft a of theoscillating lvalve A, which, through these connections, receives its motion from the tilting trough F Fl when the meter is in use. H HI represent two square supports mounted so as tc traverse horizontally upon the rails H5 H, and connected together by means of the slotted linls 7L L and studs tl t.4 A pin, a', (seo gsland 3,) projecting upward from the'valve A, serves to 'move the support H1 back and forth asV the valve oscillates. An angular plate, H2, with its inclined odge presented toward the support H1, is rigidly fixed to the support 1I. In the chamber B is permanently fixed an hydrometcr, I,'(see fig. 3,) the stern of which is lfurnished with a disk, Il, which, as the float of the hydrometer rises and falls, is permitted to play vertically between the inclined edge of the plate H2 and the adjacent surface of the plate H3. The plate Hilis wedgeshaped in its horizontal section, or, in other'words, its thickness diminishes from the inner to the outer edge,

caosi 2 for a purpose to be explained. It is attached to and has its position governed by a slide, Il", which rests-upon the support Hl, said slide being provided with a slot, 7i, for a guide-pin, 7F. The oscillation of the valve A in one direction servos to move the support H1 against the disk Il, which, bearing against the inclined edge (which is preferably notchedl or roughened) of J:he plate H2, communicates motion from Hl to H. The support H carries a plate, 7L, the outer edge of which is inclined at a suitable angle to adapt it to raise the rodj when thesuppert H is undergoing the effective movement above referred to.l The rodj is attached to and gives a' partial rotation to a disk J, which is loosely fitted upon the shaft J",`but which, at the moment the plate It acts upon the rodj, is coupled or held in connection with an adjoining disk, J, by means of the clutch K, which clamps thev two 'disks J J*together, as illustrated in iig. 2. This simultaneous movement of the disks JJl gives a degree of rotary movement to the shaft J2 proportionate to that of the support II, and the shaft J2 acts with corresponding eiect upon a suitable lregister (not shown) with which it may be connected. The shaft J2, and

consequently-the register, are only actuated at each discharge'of the chamber B, the corresponding amount received and discharged by chamber Bl being, of course, taken into accountby the register; As soon as cl1am ber B has discharged its contents andthe valve A reversed its position, the chamber B commences to fill, and as the liquor rises in the latter the ii-eat Kl is el'evated,'and the conscquent'elevation of the lever K2 raises the clutch K'so as to release the disks JJ, in order to give the loose disk freedom to turn upon the shaft' J2, and enable tho rod j to resume, by gravity, the position in which it receives the effective stroke of the plate It". When the chamber B1 discharges its contents into the trough F l" the tilting of the latter again i reverses the valve A, and the vibration of the piu al, which is due to that motion, retracts II Hl to the position from which they are advanced to act upon tlic,registcrshaft, as before described. The slide Il'4 is connected to a slotted lever, H7, by the rod H", and the lower extremity of lever H7 is connected to an expansible rod, H, located within the chamber Bhandmadc fast atene end. The rod is lengthened or shortened by variation in the temperature-of liquor, and by having its free end connected to the lever H7, the latter, under varialtion'of temperature, is caused to vibrate and effect the lateral adjustment of the slide H4 and plate H3, for the purpose of increasing or diminishing the distance between the acting point on the surface oflplate H3 and the inclined edge of plato H2. Thus, the standard temperature of proof spirit is fixed, (60 Fahrenheit,) and the Vdiiference in bulk, which is due te variations of temperature, obviously vitiates the register in the absence of a compensating medium. The plate H3, operated upon by the` rod H9, as above described, acts to compensate for changes in the temperature of the liquor in a manner which I shall new proceed to explain. It has previously been stated that the plate H3 diminishes in thickness from the inner Yto the outer edge. Hence the` given forward or effective impulse of the support Hl imparts a greater or less motion to H, according -as the part of plate Ha v vwhich acts upon the disk Il is nearer to 0r further from the inner or thickest edge of said plate; therefore the variations of temperature ofthe liquor in this meter are effectually compensated for, because the lateral motion of plate H3, caused by the expansion and contraction of rod H9, eiects a corresponding difference of result as determined by the register. For like considerations it is obvious that in order to an absolutely, correct measure? 'nient of proof spirit, it is requisite to compensate for variationsin density to which the liquor passing through the meteris liable. This compensation I secure by the employment of the disk Il, in lconnection with the i angular plate H Z. Thus, the interposed disk Il is the medium of communicating the efectivo motion of H1 to H, and the extent of effective motion which the latter receives 4will depend upon the elevation at which the latter stands when it is forced against the plate H2 by theforward or effective motion of Hl, that is to say, the support H,an'd consequently the register-shaft J2, will beunoved toa greater or less extent, according to the width of the plate H2 at the point against which the disk I is forced by the advancing support Hl. The disk I1 being attached to the float of the hydrometcr I, is made to riseand fall, and thus assume diierent positions in relation to the inclined edge of plate 4H2, in consequence of whatever variation may occur in thev strength of the liquor passing through the meter.

A brief description of the operation may be given follows: In iig. 3 the chamber Bl is representedas nearly depleted, its contents discharging through -the open outlet port B5 intothc tilting trough M, which forms a common discharge-trough for the two chambers B B. The valve B is about to close the outlet port B5 by the action of the oscillating arm A1 on the lever b. At this stage of the operation the iioat Kl occupies its lowest position, so as te, hold the clutch K upon the disks J J1, in order to eifect the rotation of rcgister-shaft Jil-when H -H are advanced. The valve A isin position to discharge the incoming liquor into chamber B. When thc liquor'accumulates in the latter till a portion escapes through the spout F", the liquor thus allowed to escape falls into the trough F Fl, which is thereby caused to tilt. This movement of the trough F Fl serves to reverse the valve A, open B2, and close B3, and advance the supports H H, so as to turn the register-shaft J?, "as previously explained.

I wish it distinctly understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement herein described, as I propose to employ any substantially equivalent means for attaining the result had invicw. I Y

Y' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Pat-ent, isv

1.v The provision, in a liquid-meter, of the plate H2 and disk Il, or their equivalents, the same forming a means for compensating for variations in density, substantially as described.

2. The provision, in a liquid-meter, of the plate H, and expansiblc rod H", or their equivalents, the same forming a means for compensations -for variations in temperature, snbstantiallyas set forth.

3. The combination of the oscillating valve A, supports H Hl, compensating-plate H2, and disk I, plate h, pin wheels or disks J J, shaft J2, and clutch K, or their equivalents, all substantially as hei-ein described and represented.

4. The combination with the valves B2 B3, and for the purpose specied.

5. The combination witll theoscillatng valve A and chambers B B and operatingl substantially as described.

6. n spirit-meters, a filter substantially as described.l

of thelevers b b and oscillating arm A1, substantially as desoi'bed of the tilting trough FFI, arranged o1' screen to pemit the passage of mash, beer, or solid matter into the meter,

E. S. HUTCHINSON. Witnesses:

W. H. HAYWARD,

J. E. M. BOWEN.V 

